Recommended Components: Fall 2018 Edition Turntables, Tonearms, Cartridges, etc.



TechDAS Air Force One: $105,000 plus tonearm ★
"A visually stunning technological tour de force," the 174-lb Air Force One has a three-layer chassis of damped aluminum, a forge-processed stainless-steel platter, and a massive AC synchronous motor controlled by an outboard dual-50W amplifier. The platter uses an air bearing; LPs are held to the platter with vacuum suction. The review sample was equipped with a Graham Engineering Phantom II Supreme tonearm. Though it didn't sound as smooth as the Continuum Caliburn or the Onedof One Degree of Freedom, the Air Force One was sensational in terms of harmonics, space, texture, and microdynamics, said Mikey, who concluded: "The TechDAS Air Force One was a sonic masterpiece." After noting, in Vol.38 No.11, that the less expensive Air Force Two nipped at the One's heels rather more fiercely than expected, MF borrowed a second sample of the latter and noted "far less of the mechanical sound" that had checked his enthusiasm for the first sample—and he enthused over the One's new titanium-platter option (ca $5000). (Vol.36 No.4, Vol.39 No.4)

VPI Classic Direct turntable: $30,000 including tonearm ★


Acoustic Signature Ascona Mk.2: $36,997
At the heart of the "massive yet surprisingly compact" Ascona Mk.2 belt-drive turntable are separate upper and lower chassis, both machined from aluminum; the lower chassis is home to three electronically controlled AC motors, while the upper holds an adjustable tonearm support, a platter bearing with a Tidorfolon thrust plate, and an appropriately massive platter fitted with 30 brass damping cylinders: Acoustic Signature's signature Silencers. After using the Ascona Mk.2 with his SAT tonearm and with the 9" version of Acoustic Signature's own TA-9000 arm, MF found the turntable to be "pleasingly rich in the midrange and delicately drawn in terms of attack, sustain, and decay" of notes. MF concluded that the "ingeniously designed, superbly machined and constructed" Ascona Mk.2 distinguished itself by excelling "where music lives—in the midrange," although its overall performance was "on the polite side." In 2017, Acoustic Signature applied to the Ascona Mk.2 some refinements that MF described as "audible, measurable, and significant," and which the company offers free of charge to those who've already purchased the earlier version. In particular, the interface between the upper and lower chassis has been upgraded to a magnetic-repulsion system that "floats" the former, for greater isolation, and the single drive belt has been replaced by three belts, each of a different Shore hardness. The results, per Mikey, are greater speed consistency and "far more substantial" bass. (Vol.39 No.12, Vol.40 No.7)

AMG Giro G9: $10,000 with tonearm

Audio Union Döhmann Helix 1: $40,300
Designed by Mark Döhmann, who headed the design team at Continuum Audio and now works under the auspices of Bulgaria-based Audio Union, the belt-drive Döhmann Helix 1 was intended to achieve the same goals as the well-regarded Continuum Caliburn turntable, but at a far lower cost. Incorporating a CNC-machined aluminum-alloy plinth that itself weighs 100 lb, the Helix 1 also makes use of a Negative Stiffness isolation platform, a high-torque motor with a software-based control system, a 30-lb metal-and-thermoplastic platter with a permanently installed damping mat, and a screw-on record clamp (a retrofittable vacuum hold-down system is in the works). The CB features a carbon-fiber armtube and ultralow-friction hybrid ceramic bearings that include internal magnetic damping of horizontal motion. MF praised the Schröder CB tonearm as a "strong performer for $4000, or even more," and also evaluated the Helix 1 turntable with his reference SAT tonearm—an experience that led him to declare that "the Helix lets the music erupt (as I wrote about the Caliburn 11 years ago)." Mikey concluded: "Had I installed the Helix 1 in the same 2005 system that provided the context for the Continuum, I'd have written about it what I felt about the Caliburn: 'no turntable in my experience comes close to its sonic performance and you are guaranteed to hear your favorite demo LPs, indeed all of your LPs, as you've never before heard them.'" (Vol.40 No.3)

Bergmann Galder: $26,800; $35,700 with Odin tonearm
New from Bergmann Audio, a Danish company known for using air bearings not only in their tonearms but also their platters, is the Galder turntable, which breaks with Bergmann tradition in two ways: Its 26-lb, belt-driven, air-bearing platter is machined from aluminum rather than acrylic, and the Galder can be bought without a Bergmann linear-tracking tonearm. Indeed, this turntable can support up to four tonearms, either pivoting or tangential-tracking. As reviewed, the 84-lb, nearly 19"-wide Galder includes a vacuum record hold-down system; for an additional $8900, it comes bundled with the Bergmann Odin air-bearing tangential-tracking tonearm. (Separately, the Odin costs $12,900, including its own air pump; the package savings are made possible in part because the same pump that pressurizes the Galder's platter bearing and vacuum clamp also pressurizes the tonearm.) A speed-adjustable DC motor allows two speeds: 331/3 and 45rpm. MF praised the Galder's degree of acoustic isolation, and the ease of use of its vacuum hold-down system; more to the point, the combination of Galder turntable and Odin tonearm impressed MF with is fine bass control and extension—better than Mikey expected, based on previous air-bearing experiences—and its reproduction of space, though somewhat diffuse, offered an enjoyably wide stage populated with stable, well-focused images. (Vol.41 No.7)

Brinkmann Balance: $25,990 without tonearm; two-arm version costs $30,000 without tonearm ★

Brinkmann Bardo: $8990 without tonearm ★

Brinkmann Spyder: $14,990 and up without tonearm

Dr. Feickert Analogue Firebird: $10,995

Kuzma Stabi M with 4Point 14 Inch tonearm: $28,220 and up
In contrast with other Kuzma turntables, the plinth of the Stabi M exists as two separate components: a massive aluminum frame and a no less massive aluminum inner platform, the latter elastically isolated from the former. The large, high-torque DC motor is contained within a brass housing, the three-piece platter combines two aluminum discs with an acrylic damping plate, and the swappable armboard is "one of the thickest, most massive aluminum armboards" ever seen by MF, who reviewed the 132-lb Stabi M (it costs $19,225 on its own) with the Kuzma 4Point 14 Inch tonearm ($8995–$10,270, depending on wiring options). Mikey observed that "the Stabi M's freedom from obvious colorations was very good, bass control and extension were exceptionally good, and macrodynamics were very, very good. Want slam? You got it!" But he felt that the colossal Kuzma combo "exhibited less bloom and ease of musical expression" compared with more expensive players of his acquaintance. (Vol.39 No.11)

Merrill-Williams R.E.A.L. 101.3: $7995
In a design that, according to AD, "effectively splits the difference between the solid-plinth and suspended-subchassis approaches," codesigners George Merrill and Robert Williams have created a belt-drive turntable with a distinctive plinth: By sandwiching a thick layer of rubber between upper and lower layers of hard phenolic, then using gaps in the phenolic to ensure that the platter bearing, tonearm board, and isolation feet make contact only with the rubber substrate, the R.E.A.L. 101.3's plinth cleverly resists both loss of musical detail and contamination from unwanted vibrations, be they airborne, structure-borne, or generated by the record-playing system itself. Also featured: a physically damped AC motor; an outsize platter machined from polyoxymethylene; an outboard power supply with fine-tuning for speed and a built-in strobe for monitoring the speed on the platter it's tucked under; easily interchanged tonearm boards, made from layers of acrylic and Delrin, that can accommodate arms of virtually any length (the boards for longer arms cost more); and two record clamps—one a traditional spindle clamp machined from brass, the other a bronze rim clamp. Used with his EMT 997 tonearm and after a few days of running in the motor and main bearing, the Merrill-Williams 'table impressed AD as "never [sounding] less than colorful, impactful, present, and at least reasonably big"; he declared it "a pleasant surprise and an easy recommendation." In the minus column were the rim clamp and the name, which Art thought was a bit goofy for such a seriously good product. (Vol.41 No.8 WWW)

Oracle Delphi Mk.VI Classic: $8300 without tonearm; turbo supply adds $850

Palmer Audio 2.5: $8990 in Baltic Birch without tonearm ★

Pear Audio Blue Kid Thomas $5995 ★

PTP Audio Solid12: €2950 plus shipping $$$ ★

Reed Muse 3C: $20,000

Rega Research RP10: $5495 (including tonearm)
Currently the top model in Rega's turntable line—rumors of the forthcoming five-figure Rega Naiad abound—the RP10 is unflinching in its adherence to the company's long-held ideas about phonography: its plinth, made of layers of hard phenolic resin sandwiching a core of polyolefin foam, is very light and very rigid; its platter is diamond-cut, for perfect accuracy and flatness, from a heavily compressed ceramic-oxide powder; for speed stability and low noise, its 24V AC motor is crystal-controlled by an outboard power supply; and its integral tonearm, Rega's RB2000, appears to offer a better-than-ever combination of rigidity, controlled distribution of resonances, and low bearing friction. The platter mat is white wool, the twin drive belts are a white rubber-like polymer, and the three-bolt cartridge-mounting scheme of the RB2000's headshell guarantees adherence to a quasi-Stevenson (as opposed to Baerwald et al) cartridge-alignment scheme when used with a Rega cartridge. Azimuth is nonadjustable, and arm height is adjustable only by means of shimming the arm where it fastens to the RP10's plinth. Within a few hours of listening, it was clear to MF that "the Rega RP10 competes with turntables costing well into five figures, especially in terms of detail retrieval, low coloration, and total lack of mechanical artifacts." His verdict: "the RP10 is Rega Research's best turntable to date." (Vol.41 No.2)

SME 20/12A (includes 312S tonearm): $28,290; SME 20/12 (no tonearm): $23,495 ★
"Among the best-built turntables in the world," the SME 20/12 is a tank-like machine weighing more than 75 lb. It has an oversized 14.3-lb platter, and a 17.6-lb aluminum-alloy subchassis secured by ten O-rings from each of four suspension towers and will take 12" arms. Its three-phase, eight-pole motor uses an electronic controller to achieve precise speeds of 331/3, 45, and 78rpm. Though it lacked the bottom-end weight and macrodynamic range of even more expensive turntables, and had a slightly dry, analytical sound, the SME offered a very low noise floor and stable image specificity, said MF. (Vol.32 No.5 WWW)

SME Model 15: $9795 (no tonearm)

Sperling-Audio L-1: $35,950 without tonearm

TechDAS Air Force III: $29,500
The TechDAS Air Force III—the company's second-least-expensive turntable—represents a whopping $75,500 savings over the company's flagship model, the Air Force One. Even so, the Air Force III costs a still-considerable $29,500—a sum that gets you "all of the more expensive model's key features," according to MF. Those features include an air-bearing platter with vacuum record-clamping, structural provisions for mounting up to four tonearms, a quartz-controlled outboard AC motor, and a heavy aluminum chassis. Per Mikey, setting up the Air Force III wasn't difficult, the biggest challenge being that the design's nonstretch belt—a very deliberate design element that harks back to the Micro-Seiki turntables of yore, from which all TechDAS models are descended—requires very precise positioning of the outboard motor. With everything in place and a Graham Phantom III tonearm along for the ride, the TechDAS Air Force III presented MF with "rock-solid speed stability" and "an attractive but subtle tonal warmth that was kindest to well-recorded strings and women's voices." He summed up by describing the III as "all the turntable most listeners will ever need." (Vol.41 No.1)

TechDAS Air Force Two: $55,000

VPI Classic Signature: $6000 with JMW 3D tonearm ★

VPI HRX: $15,000, with tonearm ★


Acoustic Signature WOW XL: $2897

Acoustic Signature WOW XXL: $3897

Analogueworks TT-Zero: $1595 (with blank armboard)
If the importance of a product can be gauged by the number of people who reproduce it, then the original Spacedeck turntable, designed by Tom Fletcher and manufactured by Nottingham Analogue, must be the most important turntable of the past 30-odd years. The most recent company to design and manufacture its take on the Spacedeck formula—in which a heavy platter is driven by a motor of such low torque that the user must physically nudge the platter to start it spinning—is AnalogueWorks, a British company whose entry-level Zero turntable, supplied with a Jelco SA-750 tonearm (price is $2095 with tonearm), impressed HR. The Zero is built on a birch-ply plinth, and has a low-torque AC motor topped with a stepped pulley with separate grooves for 3313 and 45rpm, and an aluminum platter whose bronze bearing appears especially well engineered. Used with a variety of cartridges, the Zero and SA-750 delighted Herb with their "uniquely unhurried, understated brand of forward momentum" and grainless trebles. The combo's greatest shortcoming: "an ever-so-slightly vacant midrange that . . . forced me to peer into its depths in search of more tangible bits of wood, metal, and flesh." HR's verdict: "Class B sound at a low Class C price." (Vol.40 No.7 WWW)

G.E.M. Dandy PolyTable: $1795 (with Jelco TS-5505 arm)

Linn Sondek LP12: $2630 for turntable only ★

MoFi Electronics UltraDeck: $1799 with tonearm


PBN Audio GrooveMaster Vintage Direct PBN-DP6: $8500

Pear Audio Blue Kid Howard: $4995 with Cornet 2 tonearm

Roksan Radius 7: $3500 with Nima tonearm
Designed by Touraj Moghaddam and descended from Roksan's groundbreaking Xerxes turntable, the Radius 7 is intended as a more affordable player with which to "measure the groove with respect to time," as the company puts it. To that end, the Radius 7 eschews a suspended subchassis in favor of a rigid Perspex platform, and its acrylic platter is driven by a compliantly mounted AC synchronous motor topped with an aluminum pulley and offering switch-selectable speeds of 331/3 and 45rpm. Coupled with Roksan's Nima unipivot tonearm, the Radius 7 impressed HR, who delighted in the way it let his records sound: "Wow and flutter? Insignificant—and piano tone was exceptional in both texture and color." Herb concluded by noting that the Radius 7's "richly toned midrange and deep, deep bass were highly seductive. Its grainless highs were never anything but refined." Roksan Corus Silver cartridge adds $500. (Vol.39 No.10 WWW)

Soulines Kubrick DCX: $4000 without tonearm
The Soulines Kubrick DCX, made in Serbia, lacks a plinth in the usual sense, being supported by a skeletal aluminum chassis with height-adjustable feet at the ends of three propeller-blade–like pods. Two more pods contain a low-torque DC motor and a tonearm support with interchangeable armboards, three of which are supplied: for Linn/Jelco-style mounts, SME-style mounts, and Rega arms. At the center of the chassis is a brass-and-steel inverted bearing that supports an acrylic platter so beautifully machined that AD could not tell, at a glance, whether it was spinning or still. AD used his review sample of the Kubrick DCX with his own Rega RB300 tonearm and Denon DL-103 cartridge—setup was "a breeze," he said—and slaughtered several hundred words expressing his shock that a turntable that lacks a high-torque motor, a heavy platter, and a patina of nicotine and mold could have such a good sense of scale, "great" momentum and flow, and "better than average" bass weight and impact. His conclusion: "this is one of the very best non-vintage turntables I've heard outside of the enormously expensive Döhmann Helix 1." (Vol.40 No.7 WWW)

VPI Prime Scout: $2199
When the history of domestic audio is written, the late 2010s will be remembered as a time of reinvigoration for VPI, a recent example of which is Prime Scout: a belt-drive turntable with a solid plinth, an aluminum platter, and an outboard AC motor, bundled with the company's JMW 9 unipivot turntable. A Delrin clamp for the platter and a thread-and-weight antiskating mechanism for the arm—the latter a bit of a departure for VPI—are also included, as are an easy-to-use cartridge-alignment jig and an electronic downforce gauge. AD thought the platter clamp added an unwelcome touch of fussiness to the sound, but was otherwise impressed with the Prime Scout, praising its talents for preserving sonic colors, communicating musical drive, and "throwing a remarkably big, spacious, convincingly detailed soundstage" when playing records so inscribed. Art's measurements, such as they were, revealed that the Prime Scout ran a little fast, and exhibited more wow than his 1950s idler-wheel Garrard, although wow was not excessive in absolute terms: wow! As AD said at the end, "As they say in New Jersey, what's not to like?" (Vol.40 No.10 WWW)


Pioneer PLX-1000: $699 including tonearm $$$

Rega Planar 3: $1145 with RB330 arm and pre-installed Elys 2 MM cartridge

Sony PS-HX500 USB: $499.99 w/tonearm and MM cartridge

VPI Player: $1500 $$$ ★

VPI Scout Jr.: $1600 with tonearm and cartridge


Rega Planar 1: $475 $$$ ★


Technics SL-1000R

Acoustic Signature Triple X no longer available.



Acoustic Signature TA-9000: $19,997
The key to the TA-9000's performance—and its remarkable price—is an armtube design in which concentric structures of aluminum alloy are joined by a very complex spiral arrangement of more than 700 connecting limbs. The pivoted TA-9000 also offers high-precision, hand-adjusted ball bearings, an SME-compatible mount, and a headshell that's adjustable for azimuth in the usual manner (loosen clamp, rotate headshell, tighten clamp), though MF was disappointed that this expensive tonearm offers no more than a "rudimentary" height adjustment. Used with Acoustic Signature's Ascona Mk.2 turntable, the 9" TA-9000 (it's also available in a 12" version) presented MF with "a smooth sound with a rich midrange, great detail, and great resolution," though it wasn't the last word in bottom-end extension and control. MF also opined that "the arm's mass is too low to work well with modern, low-compliance MC cartridges." Subsequent to his review, the TA-9000 was improved: the internal structure of the once-lively armtube was redesigned, the bearing housing was made more rigid, the aluminum headshell was replaced with one machined from titanium, and the arm pillar is now raised and lowered with what MF describes as "an ingenious gear system." MF reports better measured behavior from the TA-9000, with resonances "visibly and audibly" within the ideal window of 8–12Hz. Acoustic Signature offers these upgrades without charge to owners of the original TA-9000. (Vol.39 No.12, Vol.40 No.7)

AMG 9W2: $3500 ★
The German-made 9W2 tonearm from turntable specialists AMG combines a traditional horizontal bearing with a vertical bearing that is, according to AD, unique in its field: "an upright pair of 0.4mm spring-steel wires that are perfectly straight when the tonearm tube is balanced, yet flex in tandem and yield to the armtube's mass when the counterweight is moved closer to the twin fulcrums." The result, he reports, is a near-ideal combination of zero play and absence of friction. VTA and azimuth are easily adjusted, and a magnetic antiskating mechanism is included. AD found the 9W2, when used on his Linn LP12—for which it was apparently designed—to be "the first Linn-friendly arm I've heard that has made me stop sobbing about the demise of the Naim Aro: a considerable feat." Also with reference to his past favorite tonearms, AD added: "None surpasses the 9W2 in sheer build quality." HR enjoyed the 9W2 as part of AMG's Giro G9 record player, and said of the arm's vertical bearing, "to my reckoning, this is a simple and supremely effective innovation." (Vol.37 No.10, Vol.40 No.10 WWW)

Audio Origami PU7: $3000 ★
Based on the Syrinx PU2 tonearm of the 1980s—a product that BJR, AD, and other Stereophile contributors have owned and loved—the Audio Origami PU7 from Scotland is a pivoting arm with a gimbaled ball-race bearing. The PU7 seems better finished than its forebear, although creature comforts are thin on the ground—adjustments of VTF and VTA depend on the user loosening one or more grub screws and repositioning uncalibrated parts, and antiskating is a simple thread and falling weight—but, as MF pointed out, the design "emphasizes rigidity over convenience." Used with the Palmer Audio 2.5 turntable, the PU7 contributed to a notably velvety sound with a bottom end that was "well controlled and extended," according to MF, who cautioned that "images were of less-than-pinpoint accuracy and somewhat larger than life." But the PU7 distinguished itself as "a fine tracker, and feels as if it has bearings of . . . extremely high quality. Physically and sonically, it's a lot of tonearm for $3000, though I think its tube needs better internal damping." In 2017, HR was impressed by the combination of PU7 and Palmer 2.5 turntable, ultimately purchasing the review samples. (Vol.37 No.10, Vol.40 No.10 WWW)

Audio-Creative GrooveMaster II: €1152; Titanium arm costs €1318 $$$
The GrooveMaster II, designed and made by Audio-Creative, a Dutch manufacturer-distributor-retailer, isn't the first contemporary tonearm claimed to offer vintage-arm charm at a bargain price, but according to AD, it may be the best. Shaped like the classic EMT 997 "banana" tonearm but lacking that arm's offset bearing, lateral-balance outrigger weight, and dynamic downforce, the GrooveMaster II is a 12" arm primarily intended for use with Ortofon SPUs and other vintage-vibe pickup heads. Its effective mass is a higher-than-average 22gm—ideal for those pickup heads and other typically low-compliance cartridges—and a calibrated (if opaquely) magnetic antiskating device is provided. For an extra €220, the GrooveMaster II's aluminum armtube can be swapped out for one made of titanium (this adds to the arm's effective mass); another €175 gets you an SME-style sliding tonearm mount that makes installation and setup a good deal easier. Used with AD's vintage Thorens TD 124 turntable and an Ortofon SPU #1S pickup head, the standard GrooveMaster II allowed recordings so endowed to sound "sonically magnificent and emotionally powerful." As for the titanium version—Audio-Creative sent samples of both—AD noted that the differences "all fell in the heavier armtube's favor," with deeper and more forceful bass and "firmer note attacks." He concluded by noting the very good value offered by both GrooveMasters: "enthusiastically recommended." (Vol.41 No.2 WWW)

Bergmann Odin: $12,900
The Bergmann Odin is an air-bearing, linear-tracking tonearm in the mold of the Eminent Technology Tonearm 2, of the late 1980s. But where the sliding portion of the older arm was a longish aluminum tube—the arm's effective mass was thus greater in the horizontal than vertical plane—the armtube of the Odin is attached to a 3"-long sleeve of comparatively low mass, which rides along an "airtube" that's held rigid at both ends and whose level is adjustable. (Bergmann claims for the Odin an effective mass of 14gm.) Also adjustable are VTA/SRA and overhang; Bergmann suggests that the Odin is azimuth-adjustable, but that wasn't so on the review sample provided to MF, a former owner of the ET Tonearm 2 and now a bit of a linear-tracking skeptic. The Bergmann combination of Odin tonearm and Galder turntable (see "Turntables") "perform way above their total price," MF concluded. Air pump included. (Vol.41 No.7)

Brinkmann 10.5: $5990 ★

Brinkmann 12.1: $6290 ★

EMT 997: $5500 ★

Graham Engineering Phantom III: $7850
A less expensive alternative to the Graham Phantom Elite, the new Phantom III improves on its predecessor, the Phantom II, with a titanium arm wand, a more massive bearing housing, and, inside that housing, wiring that's claimed to produce less physical resistance as the arm moves. A new counterweight permits a wider range of cartridge weights, and Graham's patented Magneglide stabilization system has been further improved. After using it with a TechDAS Air Force III turntable, which Graham distributes, MF wrote that "it was immediately clear that the Phantom III's bass reproduction was far more robust and controlled than that of the Phantom II Supreme that I owned." The Phantom III's price drops to $5000 when bundled with the Air Force III. (Vol.41 No.1)

Kuzma 4Point 9": $3995
The latest entry in Kuzma's line of 4Point tonearms, preceded by the 4Point 11 and 4Point 14, is the 4Point 9, which is indeed 9" long (effective length: 229mm). All three arms share a zero-play bearing system comprising two unipivot-like points that permit movement in the vertical plane, and an additional two points for lateral movement. Also like the other 4Point arms, the 4Point 9 has a removable headshell—and though it lacks the "VTA tower" that makes the longer Kuzmas so easy to adjust, the 9 is fully height-adjustable, and its simplified design makes for lower overall mass: a boon for users of the Linn LP12 and other suspended-subchassis turntables. Adjustable azimuth is included, but not silicone damping. Its effective mass of 13gm suggests compatibility with a wide range of cartridges. Used in MF's system, the 4Point 9 "reproduced everything cleanly, with excellent recovery time and, especially, midbass clarity free from any overhang or warmth that's not on the record." Mikey also made a case for preferring the 4Point 9 over the more expensive 4Point 11: "The 4Point 9 is somewhat faster and more responsive, and leaner on the bottom, though not by much." (Vol.41 No.6)

Kuzma 4Point: $6675 ★ and 4Point 14": $8995

Linn Ekos SE: $4950 ★

Mørch DP-8: $4995

Pear Audio Blue Cornet 2 Tonearm: $2295 ★

Phantom Elite: $12,000 (for 9" arm)

Reed 3P: $5500 (9.5" version)


Schröder Captive Bearing (CB) tonearm: $4000
See MF's review of the Audio Union Döhmann Helix 1 turntable in Vol.40 No.3.

SME 309 SPD: $2995

SME 312S: $4795 ★

Sorane SA-1.2: $1900 $$$ ★

Spiral Groove Centroid: $6000 ★

VPI JMW Memorial 3D-printed 12" tonearm: $2500 ★

VPI JMW-12.7: $1700 $$$ ★


Acoustic Signature TA-1000: $1997 ★

Ortofon TA-210: $1994 ★

Rega RB330: $595 $$$ ★
Current version of Rega's classic tonearm. See the Rega Planar 3 entry in "Turntables" and "Gramophone Dreams" in Vol.40 No.2 WWW.

SME M2-9: $2195

Sorane TA1L: $1900 ★

Sperling-Audio TA-1: $9750

Swissonor TA10: $3990
Fans of vintage phono gear will note the Swissonor TA10's resemblance to the classic Thorens TP 14 of the 1960s, a J-shaped arm often paired with the no-less-classic Thorens TD 124 turntable of that era. But as AD noted, the Swissonor arm is less a re-creation of something that used to exist than an embodiment of something that never existed: a vintage-inspired tonearm made to modern perfectionist standards, with metal parts machined instead of stamped, a well-thought-out decoupled counterweight, very good wiring and cabling, a longer-than-average effective length (240mm vs 210mm), and modern bearings. Used with the similarly vintage-inspired Ortofon SPU #1S pickup head, the TA10 delighted AD with its "meaty" trebles, its fine momentum and drive, its ability to let voices and instrumental solos emerge from dense recordings, and, yes, its good looks and pleasant user interface. On the downside, he noted imperfect cartridge azimuth on two samples of the Swissonor arm, which is nonadjustable in that regard, evidently in the interest of mechanical rigidity. Price includes Swissonor's own composite armboard for the TD 124, on which the TA10 arrives preinstalled: a boon to the unhandy. (Vol.40 No.12 WWW)

VPI JMW 9: $1000 $$$ ★
The shortest tonearm in VPI's JMW line, the JMW 9 uses a reverse-missionary unipivot bearing with a hardened tungsten-carbide point and a machined and hardened-steel setscrew for a cup. A quick-connect plug makes for easy removal and easy cartridge swapping. MF auditioned the 9" version of the JMW tonearm with VPI's Scoutmaster turntable. Unlike the original JMW Memorial, the 9" arm's main bearing is directly grounded to the plinth and the stabilizing ring surrounding the arm's bearing housing is fixed. The lack of a damping well results in a "Parkinson's-like trembling of the JMW when you use the finger lift or lower the arm via the cueing mechanism," which MF found disconcerting. Nevertheless, the arm appeared to be extremely stable: "The taut, focused, remarkably coherent performance of this 'table-arm combo is testament to a fundamentally solid, well-grounded system that deals effectively with energy created at the stylus/groove interface." In 2017, AD enjoyed the JMW 9—now endowed with a thread-and-falling-weight antiskating mechanism—as part of VPI's Prime Scout record player. There exists some disagreement between AD and MF over the overall rating, but Class B seems appropriate. (Vol.26 No.2, Vol.27 No.9, Vol.40 No.10 WWW)



Swedish Analog Technologies LM-09.

Audio Origami UniArm Mk.2 discontinued.

Phono Cartridges


Audio Technica ART-1000: $4999
Audio-Technica describes their new flagship, the moving-coil AT-ART1000, as a Direct Power System design: its coils are attached to the front of its cantilever, directly above the stylus, and not to the inside end of the cantilever, as in most MCs. Thus does the AT-ART1000 carry the torch first lit by the coveted Neumann DST 62 pickup of 1962—and thus does it ensure that every deflection of the playback stylus result in a proportional change in signal amplitude, theoretically resulting in the lowest possible degree of compression among all phono cartridges. Sure enough, from the low-output AT-ART1000 (0.2mV) MF heard "microdynamic expression [that] was absolutely phenomenal: small shifts of emphasis in the strumming and drumming were clearly delineated." Mikey also praised the A-T as "one of the most tonally neutral cartridges I've heard," concluding that, "If you can afford it, you need it!" In the May 2018 Stereophile, AD added his thoughts to our coverage of the AT-ART1000, compelled as he was by his own experiences with another Neumann-inspired cartridge, the Tzar DST (see elsewhere in this edition of "Recommended Components"). After using the Audio-Technica to play his favorite LP of the Brahms Clarinet Quintet, he wrote, "I expected a better sense of touch from the strings, and that I heard. What I hadn't expected was how much better a sense of [the clarinetist's] breathing and tonguing techniques the A-T now provided. Legato phrases were more so—something as easy to enjoy as to hear." His conclusion: "one of that small handful of pickups I'd care to live with." (Vol.39 No.10, Vol.41 No.5 WWW)

EMT TSD 15: $1950 $$$ ★

EMT TSD 75SFL: $2150
The TSD 75 SFL—its name refers to both its maker's 75th anniversary, celebrated in 2016, and its Super Fine Line stylus profile—is based on EMT's TSD motor of 1965: a high-output (1.0mV), high-impedance (24 ohm) moving-coil pickup that exhibits medium-low compliance. (The recommended downforce is 2.5gm.) The TSD 75 SFL is supplied not as an interchangeable pickup head—the TSD 15's most common guise—but as a standard-mount cartridge, with bolt holes spaced 0.5" apart, on center. According to HR, who considered the AMG 9W2 tonearm its ideal mate, the EMT cartridge "was faster than lightning, punched like a boxer, and sang like a siren. Its tone was a little pale, but it excelled at rhythm and texture [and] pointed out melodies better than any cartridge I know." (Vol.41 No.4 WWW)

Gold Note Tuscany Gold: $7900
Described by MF as "a highly sophisticated, low-output moving-coil cartridge," the Tuscany Gold boasts a boron cantilever tipped with an Adamant-Namiki MicroRidge stylus. In an interesting twist, the cartridge's coil formers are integral to the titanium pipe in which the boron cantilever is inserted. Compliance is moderately low, and the recommended tracking-force range is 1.8–2.1gm. MF described the Tuscany Gold's sound as "firmly in the zone of tonal neutrality," and praised its imaging and soundstaging as "what you hope for from an [$7900] cartridge." (Vol.40 No.2)

Grado Labs Lineage Epoch: $12,000
The sole member of Grado's new Lineage series, the Epoch now stands as the 65-year-old company's top model. Like all Grado cartridges, the Epoch is a moving-iron design with a cantilever that pivots at its innermost end—there is no fulcrum in the usual sense. But in a first for Grado, the Epoch's cantilever is a solid rod of sapphire instead of a telescoping assemblage of aluminum-alloy tubes and rods. The Epoch's body is machined from the tonewood cocobolo, its stylus is hyperelliptical, and its coils are wound from annealed wire of solid 24K gold. Specs include a downforce range of 1.5–1.9gm, and the output is 1.0mV. In his listening tests, MF found the Grado Epoch to deliver a wide, deep soundstage, full-bodied but well-controlled bass, natural-sounding vocal sibilants, and a lack of tracking noise: the Epoch "glided silently and smoothly through the groove like no other cartridge I've heard." Mikey also heard from the Epoch "a harmonic and textural richness laid on without too thick a coating of aural honey," though he observed that "you can get better overall dynamic slam and greater bass dynamics . . . from a few other cartridges." (Vol.40 No.12)

Ikeda Sound Labs 9mono MC: $4400

Kiseki Purpleheart (NS): $3499 ★

Kuzma CAR-50: $5895
Kuzma CAR-60: $12,995

When manufacturer Franc Kuzma decided to offer a line of cartridges to complement his tonearms and turntables, he turned to Japan—and though he declines to name his OEM of choice, he notes that they have "more than 50 years of cartridge building experience." Among the first fruits of this collaboration are the CAR-50 and CAR-60 moving-coil cartridges, both of which have a chunky body of machined aluminum with a brass coupling plate machined with three pairs of threaded mounting holes. The distinctions: the CAR-50's MicroRidge stylus is fitted to a sapphire cantilever, while the CAR-60's cantilever is made of diamond. MF observed that the sounds of the two models were "more similar than different . . . [both] sounded smooth without ever sounding soft—smooth like skating on ice." That smoothness, MF wrote, "prevented percussive transients on top and bottom from developing excitement-generating bite and textural grip." Mikey admitted to regarding the CAR-50 as "bland"—while, for its part, the far more expensive CAR-60 "produced faster, cleaner high-frequency transients, while retaining the CAR-50's gliding smoothness." Still, after comparing it to another five-figure cartridge, and in spite of its "transparency, liquidity, and . . . wide, deep soundstage," the CAR-60 wasn't the last word in orchestral colors or vibrancy of textures, and "lacked the slam or bass grip . . . to do rock'n'roll justice." One issue later, Mikey reported that the Kuzma-recommended load of >100 ohms for both CARs was intended by the manufacturer to read <100 ohms, and put his earlier remarks into perspective by noting that "[m]y 'excitement' is someone else's ear-bleed," and by reminding the reader that the CAR-60 in particular offers "what you should expect [for over $10,000]" in terms of bottom-end extension and resolution of low-level detail. (Vol.41 Nos. 3 & 4)

Lyra Atlas SL Mono: $12,995
The Atlas SL Mono is a special-order, low-output (0.24mV) version of the Atlas that's claimed to be "true mono." Its coil former is a magnetically permeable square plate oriented parallel and square to the record's surface—rather than at 45° and 45°, for reading a stereo groove—and the coils are wound to generate a signal when the stylus moves laterally, not vertically. There are two electrically separate mono coils, one atop the other, each supplying two of the cartridge's total of four output pins, and thus sending identical signals to the phono preamp's two channels. This arrangement is useful in stereo systems, to avoid the ground loops and hum that often result when a single coil is connected to one channel of a two-channel preamp. According to MF, the Atlas SL Mono's "tonal neutrality and, especially, its transparency are truly exceptional." (Vol.41 No.6)

Lyra Atlas SL: $12,995

Lyra Atlas: $11,995 ★

Lyra Etna SL: $9995

Lyra Etna: $8995 ★

Miyajima Labs Madake Snakewood: $7500
Like the Miyajima Madake moving-coil cartridge (see elsewhere in this edition of "Recommended Components"), the Madake Snakewood has a cantilever made in part from a strain of bamboo that grows only in the mountains surrounding Kyoto, Japan. Unlike the Madake, the body of which is carved from African blackwood, the Madake Snakewood's body is made of—get ready for it—snakewood, a substance so difficult to carve that it takes months to produce a single usable body. The Madake Snakewood has an output of 0.23mV, a suggested downforce of 2.5gm, and a low-compliance suspension. Describing the Snakewood as "a meth-infused Madake," MF praised its "faster, cleaner, leaner" sound, and opined that the Snakewood has "a more neutral midrange . . . and a faster, cleaner bottom end" than one usually associates with Miyajima cartridges, and that the Madake Snakewood performed well "with every kind of music." (Vol.41 No.4)

Miyajima Labs Madake: $5895 ★

Miyajima Labs Saboten: $2475
Setting aside matters of performance and appearance, the most distinctive thing about the Miyajima Saboten moving-coil cartridge is its cactus-spine cantilever (saboten is the Japanese word for cactus), the business end of which is capped with an aluminum ferrule fitted with an elliptical stylus. Points of note include a lower-than-average output of 0.18mV, a higher-than-expected-for-that-kind-of-output impedance of 15 ohms, and Miyajima's trademark cross-ring motor, tuned for a medium-compliance suspension. Given that the cross-ring motor doesn't require a taut tie-back wire of the usual sort, Miyajima is freer than most to experiment with nonmetallic cantilevers—and, as HR wrote, "[t]hat little sprig of cactus . . . could be why higher female voices sounded so pure and naturally toned." Herb also praised the Saboten's "grainless, liquid transparency, its unique sense of intimacy, and its decidedly tactile focus on vibrating acoustic surfaces. All of it drew me in and held me close to the music." (Vol.41 No.4 WWW)

Miyajima Saboten L: $4875
A low-compliance version of Miyajima's distinctive Saboten cartridge (see elsewhere in this edition of "Recommended Components"), the Saboten L also features a slightly higher output—0.23 vs 0.18mV—and is built into a body made from Cameroonian ebony instead of lignum vitae. Used in AD's high-mass (and thus low-compliance-cartridge–friendly) EMT 997 tonearm, the Saboten L impressed him with its good color, touch, and sheer substance. Art added that the Saboten L "was the rare stereo pickup that sounded good, if not quite mono-pickup good, on mono LPs." His conclusion: "this beautiful-sounding product embodies everything that's special about this brand." (Vol.41 No.6 WWW)

Ortofon Century: $12,000
Designed in honor of Ortofon's 100th anniversary by Leif Johannsen, the company's chief officer of technology and acoustics, the limited-edition MC Century is offered as the finest Ortofon cartridge to date. Its titanium body, made using selective laser melting (SLM), conceals a motor whose armature-damping system is claimed to provide "complete elimination of unwanted resonance." That motor also contains a diamond cantilever fitted with a "nude" Ortofon Replicant 100 stylus tip and a magnet system made in part with an iron-cobalt alloy. Specs include a low (0.2mV) output, a 6 ohm internal resistance, and a recommended vertical tracking force of 2.4gm. As one might expect from any pricey cartridge, the MC Century's sound was found by MF to be "free of any mechanical artifacts, bright edges, or etch," and its bottom end was tighter than that of the hallowed Ortofon MC Anna yet no less voluptuous. The MC Century also "delivered solidly three-dimensional images" and "tracked vocal sibilants as well as any cartridge" that Mikey has heard, leading him to conclude, "I can't imagine how Leif Johannsen can ever top it." (Vol.41 No.9)

Ortofon MC Windfeld Ti: $4390
Derived from the first Windfeld model—which was designed by Ortofon's head of R&D, Leif Johannsen, and named for his predecessor in that position, Per Windfeld—the new Windfeld Ti MC cartridge differs from the original in its use of a titanium body core that flares at the top to form its mounting platform, which is drilled and tapped for cartridge bolts of the usual sort. (The Windfeld Ti's outer body is made of stainless steel.) The Ti's armature is also less magnetic than the first Windfeld's: a windfall (sorry) of the new cartridge's more sophisticated magnet structure. Other pertinent specs include an output of 0.2mV, an internal impedance of 7 ohms, and a specially polished, nude Replicant 100 stylus tip. According to MF, the Windfeld Ti, with which he used a vertical tracking force of 2.3gm, "retained all of the sweetness and lushness of the original Windfeld." He added that "no one will be disappointed by the Windfeld Ti's reproduction of space." Mikey's conclusion: "$4390 buys you a piece of the highest echelon of cartridge performance for thousands fewer bucks." (Vol.40 No.8)

Ortofon Xpression: $5399
A unique blend of new and old technologies, the Xpression derives from Ortofon's cutting-edge MC A90, but is designed as a drop-in replacement for any G-style pickup head. It uses a Replicant 100 stylus, has a recommended downforce of 2.6gm, an impedance of 4 ohms, and a low (0.3mV) output. Compared to AD's original Ortofon SPU, the Xpression sounded just as solid, colorful, and forceful, but was more detailed, open, tactile, and revealing of nuance and technique. "The difference was real: Love my older Ortofon though I do, the Xpression was clearly more dramatic, with no penalty in texture or color," said Art. Not long after AD's review, JCA tried an Xpression with his combination of vintage Thorens TD 124 turntable and Schick 12" tonearm; for various reasons—at the time he felt it "cost way too much for what it was"—he set it aside, returning to it only recently. Improvements, in the interim, to his system and a better listening room left JCA "better prepared to hear and describe" the Xpression, which he now believes is "clearly and significantly better" than his own Ortofon 90th Anniversary SPU, with "less SPU-ish coloration" and "none of the attenuation of high frequencies that I [hear] from classic SPUs, but no extra tizz, either." (Vol.35 No.2, Vol.41 No.9 WWW)

Soundsmith Hyperion Mk.II: $7999
Like most Soundsmith cartridges, the Hyperion is a moving iron type, which Soundsmith's Peter Ledermann suggests is superior to all other types because of its very low moving mass. The Hyperion, however, is distinguished by a cantilever made of cactus spine, a material chosen for its unique combination of stiffness and self-damping. To that is bonded the buyer's choice of a Contact Line (CL) or Optimized Contact Line (OCL) stylus: both are hyperellipticals, but the OCL offers the promise of digging from the groove more information, the cost being its greater persnickitiness in cartridge alignment. Other pertinent specs include an output of 0.4mV, DC resistance of 10–11 ohms, and a recommended downforce of 1.9–2.1gm. Mikey's OCL-equipped review sample produced "an unmistakably unique smoothness and liquidity that was never at the expense of transient precision." MF also noted that "the Hyperion delivered the sort of microdynamic information that can bring a recorded performance to life," and praised the cartridge's transparency while noting a rising top end that "added a slight amount of presence on top." (Vol.41 No.5)

TechDAS TDC01 Ti: $12,500
Created for the Japanese turntable specialists TechDAS by Yoshio Matsudaira of My Sonic Lab—he has also amde cartridges for Air Tight, Haniwa, and others—the titanium-encased TDC01 Ti is notably heavy at 17gm, notably pricey at $16,000, and combines a low internal impedance of 1.4 ohms with a surprisingly high output of 0.45mV. Also notably, TechDAS recommends for the TDC01 Ti a higher-than-expected load impedance of 100–200 ohms—something that MF sidestepped by directing its output to the current-gain inputs of his CH Precision P1/X1 phono preamp. Used thus, the TechDAS cartridge rewarded Mikey with "an authoritarian dynamic slam" not generally associated with its designer, coupled with the more typical "sheen of Matsudaira's house sound—a pleasing smoothness that made strings sing [and] revealed buttery textures in women's voices." Build quality, MF noted, was "as high as you'd expect for that kind of money." (Vol.41 No.4)

Transfiguration Proteus D: $10,500
The Transfiguration Proteus D is identical to the well-regarded Proteus in every way but two: The Proteus D has a solid-diamond cantilever with, according to MF, a rhomboid cross-section—I think we've found the reason for that D—and specially designed dual dampers for its suspension. While using the Proteus D to play a recent recording by the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, MF noted "more fully developed orchestral colors" in comparison to the sound of an even more expensive cartridge; in addition, "the individual sections of the orchestra were more clearly 'visible'" with the D—"it was like listening to a different recording." Mikey's verdict: "The Proteus D is the Proteus on steroids." (Vol.41 Nos.3 & 4)

Tzar DST: $10,000

van den Hul Colibri Signature Stradivarius: $11,995
Derived from van den Hul's Grasshopper MC cartridge, which bowed in the 1990s, the Colibri XGW Stradivarius Signature has only the sparest of bodies—this one is carved from Koa wood—and so its motor, coils, and the full length of its cantilever and tie-back wire are exposed. Distinct from other Colibri variations, this one's coils are wound from gold wire, and its output is a not-unhealthy 0.7mV. The recommended downforce range is 1.35–1.5gm, and its boron cantilever is graced with a van den Hul 1S stylus tip. Distinct from other top-shelf vdH cartridges, the Colibri XGW Stradivarius Signature presented Mikey with, at first, "a surprisingly lush, rich, relaxing midrange" and "pleasing if not ultimate midrange transparency." Bass was "more clean and fast than grippy and muscular," while higher-frequency transients were "fast and slightly spotlit." MF concluded that the Colibri XGW Stradivarius Signature would be a good choice for those who listen mostly to classical music, but it "would not be my first choice" for rock—and he confessed being bothered by the very high price. (Vol.41 No.8)


AMG Teatro: $2750
Although AMG is headquartered in Germany, their Teatro moving-coil cartridge is a true international effort. Its two-piece titanium body is made in the US, where it's machined and treated with a Tiodize Type III coating that gives the Teatro its distinctive green finish. The Teatro's generator, which has separate coil assemblies for each channel—as opposed to having both channels' coils wound on a common former—is made in Japan. Its magnets are neodymium, its cantilever is boron, and its soft-alloy yoke contains cobalt and iron, just like your favorite multivitamins. Also notable are the Teatro's 0.4mV output, 12-ohm internal resistance, line-contact stylus, and machined-aluminum stylus guard—"the best, easiest-to-use stylus guard ever to protect a needle," said HR, who found that the somewhat "analytical" Teatro was the perfect mate for the relatively lush-sounding pairing of Palmer 2.5 turntable and Audio Origami PU7 tonearm: that combination "was sounding as if its yin and yang were balanced just right." (Vol.40 No.10 WWW)

Audio MusiKraft Denon DL-103: $679 and up $$$
Montreal-based MusiKraft offers precision-machined metal cartridge shells as accessories for Denon's classic DL-103 cartridge—a favorite of AD, KM, HR, and others. Prices start at $579 for a clear-anodized aluminum shell in which a new DL-103 has been installed—or brave users with steady hands can buy just the aluminum shell for $229 and fit their own darn Denon. In either case, the MusiKraft shell is pre-drilled with five sets of tapped mounting holes, making cartridge mounting and alignment easier than ever, and fitted with tiny, interchangeable wooden panels that give the cartridge a jaunty look and may or may not affect its sound. (Dozens of species of wood are available, and the panels can be removed/exchanged/refitted in the field, so to speak.) AD borrowed a MusiKraft polished lithium-aluminum shell (model S-AlLi103-PO) with side panels of South American ipe wood and a pre-installed Denon DL-103—a total retail value of $739—and was impressed all to hell and back: the MusiKraft version lacked "the slight treble glare" associated with his stock DL-103, and provided "pitches and pitch relationships [that] were steadily, solidly right," and "vocal textures and tones with real meat and color." His verdict: "a fine value." (Vol.40 No.8 WWW)

Dynavector DV-20X2L: $1150 $$$

Goldring Elite MC: $995

Hana EL MC: $475 $$$
Commissioned by Sibatech Inc. and manufactured by Excel Sound, both of Japan, the Hana EL is a low-output (0.5mV) moving-coil cartridge built with alnico magnets and fitted with an aluminum cantilever and elliptical stylus. (A higher-output version, the Hana EH, is available for the same price but has not yet been tested.) Compliance is medium to medium-low—and thus well suited to the SME M2-9 tonearm used by HR, who declared that "the EL's basic sonic character was highly musical and exceptionally nonmechanical." (Vol.39 No.8 WWW)

Jasmine Turtle: $799 $$$

Koetsu Rosewood Mono: $3495
Nominally, the Koetsu Rosewood Mono has nothing up its sleeve: It is, indeed, a Koetsu Rosewood cartridge—an enduringly popular moving-coil model and surely among the very first wood-bodied cartridges to cross our path—and it is, indeed, intended for use only with monophonic records. (Whether it contains a true single-channel motor or a stereo motor strapped for mono, MF doesn't know: Koetsu did not provide specifications.) Extrapolating from the more common stereo Koetsu Rosewoods, MF estimates the Mono's output as 0.4mV, its internal impedance as 5 ohms, and its tracking-force range as 1.8–2gm. Under the Rosewood Mono's stylus, the recent mono reissue of Duke Ellington's Masterpieces by Ellington was "in full bloom," according to Mikey, "if somewhat at the expense of bass attack and transient bite." His conclusion: the Koetsu Rosewood Mono is a good choice "if your system needs a bit of softening of transients." (Vol.41 No.3)

Koetsu Rosewood Standard: $3495
Among moving-coil cartridges that bear the Koetsu brand—products as reliably boxy in shape as they are exotic in the materials used for their bodies—the Rosewood Standard is among the most affordable. Mounted inside its rosewood housing is a motor built with samarium-cobalt magnets, 99.9999%-pure copper coils, and a boron cantilever, to which is bonded a stylus with a hyperelliptical tip. Specs for the Rosewood Standard include an output of 0.45mV, an impedance of 5 ohms, and a recommended downforce of 1.8–2gm. After using Koetsu in his system, HR praised the Rosewood Standard's tight imaging and "slam-dance excitement," while noting that "[m]ost impressive was how the Koetsu exposed extremely subtle, almost subliminal instrumental textures . . . while making nearly imperceptible changes in those instruments' tonalities seem beautiful and important." (Vol.41 No.4 WWW)

London Maroon: $995 $$$

MoFi Electronics MasterTracker: $699 $$$
MoFi's best moving-magnet cartridge, the MasterTracker is built in Japan using a US-made body machined from aluminum for optimal resonance control. Its twin magnets, reportedly the lightest ones in MoFi's MM line, are aligned in a V formation parallel to the walls of a stereo groove, and its tapered aluminum cantilever is fitted with a Micro-line stylus. Pertinent specs include an output of 3.0mV and a downforce range of 1.8–2.2gm. After using the MasterTracker with MoFi's UltraDeck record player, HR wrote that he had "never ever experienced such vitality and sharp focus from an MM cartridge," and that, "more surprisingly, this sharp focus did not come from lean, dry, or overdamped sound. The MasterTracker was simply getting all of the energy off the record." (Vol.41 No.2 WWW)

Ortofon CG 25DI mono pickup head: $902 $$$ ★

Ortofon SPU #1E: $659 $$$
Ortofon SPU #1S: $599 $$$

Although Ortofon's SPU series of pickup heads—phono cartridges, typically moving-coils, that are built into their own headshells—is surely the longest-running cartridge line in the history of audio, they never attracted the attention of MF, who admits not being "a fan of [the design's] old-school, SME-type" locking collet, and who is also put off by the typical SPU's high mass and high recommended tracking force. That changed in spring 2016, when Ortofon introduced the low-priced SPU #1S and SPU #1E, respectively fitted with spherical and elliptical styli. In all other respects, they're identical: 0.18mV output, 4gm recommended tracking force, 30gm weight. MF received review samples of both and declared, after his first spin with the #1E, "I immediately, and much to my surprise, got what the SPU cult is all about." When he switched to the spherical-tipped #1S, MF wrote, "Yes, much detail was missing, but also gone were artifacts of mechanical playback, replaced by a luxuriously smooth sound and exceptionally 'black' backgrounds. I began to understand the appeal of spherical styli." Writing in the December 2016 Stereophile, AD preferred the spherical-tipped version—"[it's] every inch an SPU"—but by a smaller margin than he expected. His verdict: "both of these new SPUs offer exceptional value for the money, and either would make an excellent starting point for the shopper who's curious about vintage gear." (Vol.39 Nos. 9 & 12 WWW)

Rega Research Aphelion: $4995
Like Rega's previous flagship cartridge, the Apheta, which endures in the line, their new Aphelion is a moving-coil that dispenses with suspension dampers and a tie wire. The Aphelion's output is 0.35mV, its internal impedance is 10 ohms, and its recommended downforce range is 1.75–2.0gm. Used with Rega's flagship RP10 turntable and companion RB2000 tonearm (see elsewhere in Recommended Components), the Aphelion provided a quality of playback that was "seat-of-the-pants exciting," but was also lacking in warmth. It was "too lean, too fast, just plain too much," according to MF. (Vol.41 No.2)

Soundsmith Carmen Mk.II: $999

Soundsmith Zephyr MIMC Star: $1999

Triangle ART Apollo MC: $8000

Zu DL-103 Mk.2: $559–$999 $$$
The Zu/DL-103 Mk.II cartridge replaces the original Zu Audio DL-103 (see Stereophile's October 2007 issue), itself the first modification of the classic Denon DL-103 to achieve widespread recognition and commercial success. For the Mk.II version, the basic formula remains—Zu strips away the Denon's plastic housing and repackages its motor and output-pin block in a precision-machined aluminum body—but here the body has been reshaped to make better contact with the motor and better resist the buildup of sound-sullying resonances. Also new are an improved epoxy for holding the motor in place, and a body shape that permits the use of the Denon cartridge's original stylus guard. The Zu DL-103 Mk.II is available in three versions, the differences between them determined by the tolerances Zu observes while hand-selecting stock Denon cartridges: Grade 1 ($599), Grade 2 ($699), and Grade 2 Premium ($999). AD, who regarded the original Zu Audio/Denon DL-103 as a giant-slayer of Homeric proportions, thought the Grade 2 Premium Zu DL-103 Mk.II went even further, offering fine musical timing and "an ocean of tone." (Vol.41 No.4 WWW)


Denon DL-103: $299 $$$ ★

Dynavector DV 10X5: $750 $$$ ★

Grado Prestige ME+: $150 ★

Nagaoka MP-500: $699 ★

Ortofon 2M Black: $755 ★

Ortofon 2M Blue: $236 $$$ ★

Rega Elys 2: $295 $$$ ★
See the Planar 3 entry in "Turntables." Price is $200 when purchased with that turntable. HR is not a fan, however. (Vol.31 No.7, Vol.34 No.12, Vol.40 No.2 WWW)


Audio-Technica AT95E: $74 ★

Ortofon 2M Red: $99 $$$


DS Audio Master L, Hana SL and SL Mono.

Shure SC35C no longer available; Air Tight Opus, Clearaudio Maestro V2 Ebony, Fuuga, Ikeda Sound Labs Kai, Transfiguration Proteus, not auditioned in too long a time.

Phono Preamps/Moving-Coil Step-up Devices


Auditorium 23 Hommage T1 & Hommage T2: both $4995 ★

CH Precision P1: $31,000
Built with a sleek aluminum-alloy case with no screws visible on any of its surfaces, the Swiss-made CH Precision P1 is no less sophisticated inside. This solid-state phono preamplifier offers multiple inputs, two of which address current-amplification circuits—an approach that, according to MF, produces "the best signal/noise ratios" and does not require cartridge loading to achieve flat response. That said, for use with its voltage-amplification inputs, the P1 offers a menu-driven "wizard" that analyzes the entire record-playing system, and calculates and applies the optimal load. Beyond that, as MF points out, the user can manually test the P1's entire loading range of 20 ohms to 100k ohms, selectable in 500 steps: "load fetishists, knock yourselves out!" Used with its optional X1 outboard power supply ($17,000), the P1 provided Mikey with tonal neutrality and an ultra-low noise floor: "Some products have me up all night, pulling out record after record; some don't. The P1 did, and gave me an exciting and fully pleasurable sonic ride every time." In the June 2017 Stereophile, MF refocused his attention on the X1 power supply, observing that, "with the X1 off, the P1's image solidity and pile-driver–like rhythmic certainty . . . were somewhat diminished"—and noted that he'd purchased the CH Precision combo for his own enjoyment. In August 2018, MF wrote about his experiences with a double P1/X1 combo—something that seems to have been done by more than one hobbyist of immodest means. Thus connected, these four high-tech boxes know what has happened and behave accordingly—but while "the four-box version was even more dynamic" and possessed of "a more relaxed and supple midrange," Mikey could not countenance a $96,000 phono preamp. (Vol.40 Nos. 4 & 6, Vol.41 No.8)

Ypsilon VPS-100: $26,000 ★


Audio Research REF Phono 3: $14,000
Intended as a replacement for their Reference Phono 2SE, Audio Research's Reference Phono 3 is a hybrid tubed/solid-state phono preamp that offers two independently configurable inputs with various gain and loading options, all of which can be stored in its memory. It has a FET input stage and uses a total of six 6H30 dual-triode tubes in the signal path, plus an additional 6H30 and a 6550WE tube for power-supply regulation. The Reference Phono 3 treated MF to "an embarrassment of tonal riches, with silky, textured delicacy emerging from 'black' backgrounds"—and that was fresh out of the box! Mikey's conclusion: "If $14,000 is within your budget, the Reference Phono 3 is a must-listen." (Vol.40 No.1)

Audio Tekne TEA-8695 PCS: $48,000
In Audio Tekne's 100-lb TEA-8695 PCS, 12 signal tubes and one rectifier tube are concealed amid a dense forest of Permalloy-core inductors and transformers, two of the latter being the step-up transformers that first greet the input signal in this MC-only design. MF praised the Audio Tekne for having "the most gorgeous, cleanly laid-out point-to-point wiring." More to the point, he praised the TEA-8695 PCS for its "massive but well-controlled bass," "superrich mids," and "smooth yet well-extended highs," adding that the Audio Tekne "had dynamic slam to spare"—while noting his frustration with its opaque instruction manual. (Vol.39 No.11)

Bob's Devices Sky 40 transformer: $1250 $$$
The Sky 40 is a stereo step-up transformer with a turns ratio (ie, the ratio of the number of turns of wire in its primary coil to the number of turns in its secondary coil, which determines the phono transformer's gain) of 1:40, making it a potentially apt mate for many low-output, low-internal-resistance MC cartridges. If you're reading this, there's an awfully good chance you own such a cartridge, in which case Bob's Devices wants you to know that the CineMag transformers in the Sky 40 represent a completely new design; and AD wants you to know that the Sky 40, used with his Shindo-rebuilt Ortofon SPU, made his favorite music sound "huge and detailed," and ultimately distinguished itself as "a giant-slayer of a step-up transformer," and something that "may be the product you've been waiting for." (Vol.40 No.3 WWW)

Channel D Seta Model L: $3799 ★

Dan D'Agostino Master Audio Systems Momentum Phonostage: $28,000
Like the same company's line-level Momentum Preamplifier, the Dan D'Agostino Master Audio Systems Momentum Phonostage is supplied with audio circuitry in one enclosure, for which a uniquely shaped power-regulation component acts as a cradle/base. (The Phonostage actually goes one better and isolates the mains transformer in a remote enclosure of its own.) With two MC inputs and two MM inputs, all of which offer a choice between RCA and XLR jacks—although its outputs are XLR-only—the Phonostage provides a wide range of electronically selectable options for gain and resistive and capacitive loading, plus four alternate de-emphasis curves in addition to the usual RIAA. MF described the Momentum Phonostage as having "a relaxed, almost tube-like richness in the midband, without sacrificing the transient clarity, detail, speed, and . . . transparency I expect from a top-shelf solid-state design." He concluded that the D'Agostino is "the most enticing solid-state phono preamp I've reviewed." (Vol.40 No.2)

EMIA Phono step-up transformer: $2400 (with copper wire)
Dave Slagle, whose radically rebuilt Quad ESL loudspeakers have astounded more than a few listeners, winds his own step-up transformers and sells them under the brand name EMIA—a collaborative design and manufacturing effort with Jeffrey Jackson, who specializes in tube amplification and horn loudspeakers. The EMIA Phono transformer, which is housed in a steel box with solid walnut top and bottom plates, is unpotted, and has a fairly large core with 80% nickel content. In addition to one pair each of RCA input and output jacks—multiple primary coils aren't available—the EMIA Phono has a third pair of jacks, wired in parallel with the primary and intended for use with resistive plugs (supplied), for cartridges that might need such things. The EMIA is available with copper or silver windings; AD spent some quality time with a copper-wire version wound with a 15:1 ratio, for use with his EMT TSD 15 and Denon DL-103 cartridges. He described the EMIA as offering "an immense sense of drive" with his EMT, as well as "texture and tone in spades. In buckets. In tanker holds." All in all, AD found the EMIA to sound "clean, clear, rich, detailed, and, above all, musically exciting—all for approximately half the price of the deservedly well-regarded Hommage T2," the latter transformer being his longtime reference. (Vol.40 No.8 WWW)

Lamm Industries LP 2.1 Deluxe: $9390 ★

Luxman EQ-500: $6495

Nagra BPS: $2459 ★

Parasound Halo JC 3+: $2995 $$$ ★

Shindo Aurieges Equalizer Amplifier: $7895

Sutherland Engineering Duo: $4000
Unlike most two-box phono preamplifiers, which have audio circuitry in one enclosure and power-supply components in the other, the Sutherland Duo is a dual-mono design, each enclosure housing a single channel's audio circuitry and complete power supply. (The Duo's two halves are even shipped in separate cartons.) Construction details include steel casework and thick circuit boards, the latter to prevent unwanted capacitance, and loading and gain are adjustable by means of internal jumpers. Input and output connectors are limited to RCA jacks, reflecting the Duo's single-ended design, and AC cords are not supplied, reflecting designer Ron Sutherland's conviction that most consumers interested in an expensive phono pre have already made their own choice of power cord. In describing the Duo's sound, BD pointed to its ability to reveal the "primal purity of instruments' timbres and the natural, effortless feel of the performers." He mentioned also that "the Duos' low end was as extended as my listening room would support," and praised their dynamics as "representative of what I hear at a live performance, if less spectacular than those from [other] preamps." JA's measurements revealed the Duo to be "a superbly quiet, superbly linear, superbly accurate phono preamplifier." (Vol.40 No.9 WWW)

Sutherland Engineering Phono Block: $10,000/pair ★

TruLife Audio Xactive Argo: $17,500
TruLife's Xactive Argo uses two pairs of dual-triode signal tubes to produce 44dB of gain for its MM inputs and 68dB of gain for its MC input, the two pairs of jacks being switch-selectable. Although housed in a single box, the Argo is fully dual-mono all the way back to its tube-rectified power supply, which is built with twin mains transformers. MF was no less impressed with the Argo than with TruLife's earlier Reikon (Stereophile, November 2008), observing that the new model "produced the best kind of tubed phono-preamp sound: quiet, silky-smooth, and extended on top, with enticing musical flow and richly drawn instrumental timbres. . . . From top to bottom, the Argo reproduced musical textures with uncanny grace and precision." (Vol.39 No.11)

van den Hul The Grail: $9350
Like other perfectionist-quality phono preamps that have impressed MF, van den Hul's The Grail is a current-amplification rather than voltage-amplification device, and thus is distinctly well suited to phono cartridges of very low impedance and inductance. (Note that vdH refers to this product not as a current amplifier but as an "automatic adapting input stage"; as we say in upstate New York, same difference . . . ) The Grail is a two-box design—one's the preamp, the other the power supply—with separate RCA input jacks for MM and MC cartridges and one pair of single-ended RCA output jacks. A gain of 56, 64, or 73dB can be selected via DIP switches; loading jacks (also RCAs) are provided for those who wish to alter The Grail's load characteristics by adding resistors or capacitors in parallel with the default load of 47k ohms, 50pF. According to MF, "The Grail produced spectacular results"—and not just with vdH's own Colibri XGW Stradivarius Signature cartridge. That said, it was with that cartridge that The Grail impressed Mikey with "the 'blackest' backgrounds, out of which sprang startlingly delicate yet believably solid three-dimensional images." (Vol.41 No.8)

Viva Audio Fono MC: $17,500

Ypsilon Electronics MC26-L: $6200

Ypsilon MC10 & MC16: $2800 ★

Zesto Audio Andros Téssera: $12,000
The two-box Andros Téssera tubed phono preamp derives from Zesto Audio's former top-model phono preamp, the Andros 1.2 (itself formerly the PSI), with circuitry inspired by designs first described during the FDR administration, in the RCA Radiotron Designer's Handbook. The Andros Téssera has provisions for three MM gain settings, three MC gain settings, and 12 switch-selectable MC loading options. (MM capacitance is fixed at 220pF.) It can accommodate up to four different tonearms, as long as two are fitted with MM cartridges and the other two with MCs, and uses six dual-triode tubes; MC gain is supplied by internal step-up transformers, from Jensen. Audio-signal transformers also play a role in the Andros Téssera's output stage, bringing output impedance down to a sensible 150 ohms. In MF's estimation, the Andros Téssera "traded bottom-end authority and grippy bass for the fully developed textures and sonorous midrange that even the best solid-state designs somewhat lose track of," adding that jazz and classical music "thrived in the Andros Téssera's hands"; rock fared less well. (Vol.40 No.7 WWW)


Auditorium 23 Standard: $995 $$$ ★

Bob's Devices CineMag 1131: $1195 ★

Dynavector SUP-200: $2650

EAR 834P: $1895 economy model; $2595 deluxe model ★

Heed Audio Quasar: $1200
This solid-state, dual-mono phono preamp, supplied in two chassis—one for the audio circuitry, one for the power supply—has separate RCA input jacks for MC and MM cartridges, and separate output jacks, also RCAs, for low and high output levels. (Low Out is recommended for older amps, High Out for more modern designs.) User-accessible internal jumpers allow fine-tuning of gain and input impedance, and the Quasar's very good user's manual contains suggested settings for a number of different cartridges. Used in his tube-friendly system, with his Denon DL-103 cartridge, the Quasar struck KM as sounding "neither hard nor, worse, tube-cliché syrupy or soft." He noted that the Quasar's resolution of subtle detail was good enough that he could "easily hear the differences" between recording venues used for various classic Blue Note LPs. But for hobbyists who prefer having a step-up transformer between their MC cartridges and their phono preamp, the Heed is not an ideal choice: After measuring the Quasar, JA praised its considerable flexibility but noted the lower-than-specified input impedance in many of its various settings, and concluded that this phono stage will perform its best only with MC cartridges connected directly to its MC inputs. (Vol.40 No.12 WWW)

LFD Phonostage LE: $1295 $$$ ★
Phonostage LE Special: $1795 ★


LKV Research Veros One $6500

Lounge Audio LCR Mk.III: $300
Lounge Audio Copla: $275

The solid-state LCR Mk.III is named for the type of circuit chosen for its RIAA equalization stage: a zero-feedback inductor-capacitor-resistor (L-C-R) circuit. That stage is constructed with discrete components—remarkable for a US-made product selling for only $300—and combined with class-A–biased op-amps for a total gain of 40dB. Power is supplied by an 18V wall wart. HR has logged literally hundreds of hours with his LCR Mk.III review sample, both on its own for use with MM cartridges, and, for MC cartridges, in tandem with Lounge Audio's Copla, a JFET-powered step-up device that does the same job as a phono transformer, only electronically. In both setups, the Lounge rewarded HR with "full-bodied, accurately toned" sound, and enough emotional impact that a favorite Doc Watson song had him weeping. Referring to the $26,000, Class A–rated Ypsilon VPS-100, HR wrote: "Could the Ypsilon make me cry 86.7 times easier? I doubt it." (Vol.41 No.2 WWW)

ModWright PH 150: $7900

Music First Audio MC Step Up 632 step-up transformer: $715 $$$
Designed and made in Hastings, Great Britain, by Jonathan Billington (of Stevens & Billington transformers fame), the MC Step Up 632 is Music First Audio's entry-level step-up device. Though the 632 lacks the multiple, switch-selectable secondaries of the company's more expensive offerings, it has the advantage of being orderable in any impedance ratio—and, hence, any gain level—the customer chooses. AD selected as his review sample a 632 wound with a 1:5 ratio, whose low gain suited his high-output EMT TSD 15 pickup. He was impressed with the transformer's "great, clear beauty," describing it as "delicately nuanced . . . in terms of communicating timbral colors." Although the MFA 632 didn't have the scale, impact, or boldness of Auditorium 23's far more expensive Hommage transformers, AD concluded that it was "an exceptionally fine value" and "an easy recommendation." (Vol.40 No.4 WWW)

Tavish Design Adagio: $1790
Among the handmade electronics offered by Westchester County, New York–based Tavish Design is the Adagio phono preamp, a two-box design with audio circuitry in one enclosure and a power supply in the other. The Adagio's gain and EQ circuitry—the latter a mix of active and passive—is implemented with a total of six small-signal tubes, while power-supply rectification and regulation are solid-state. Switch-selectable inputs for moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges add to the product's flexibility, as do separate six-position rotary switches for adjusting load resistance and capacitance. MM inputs offer 44dB of gain, MC inputs 64dB, the extra 20dB provided by a stereo pair of Jensen step-up transformers. AD found the Adagio's MM circuit to be "beautifully, prettily clear, in a pleasantly liquid sort of way," with "exceptional" detail and openness. The MC circuitry was also impressive, especially with a Shindo-rebuilt Ortofon SPU cartridge, although the Jensen transformers appeared not to provide the same sense of drama, force, and bass weight as (far more expensive) outboard transformers. Still, as AD observed, "the comparatively inexpensive Tavish Adagio punched above its weight." In his Follow-Up in the March 2018 Stereophile, HR wrote that the Adagio is "a cool, quiet, neutral-sounding phono preamplifier, and it's a joy to use: I know of no better for under $3000." (Vol.39 No.6, Vol.41 No.3 WWW)


Schiit Mani: $129 $$$

Soundsmith MMP3 Mk.II: $649.95 ★


Bozak Madisson CLK-PH2: $19.95 $$$ ★

No Class Distinction

Rek-O-Kut Re-Equalizer II mono record-specific equalizer: $339 ★

Sentec EQ11: $2500 ★


Musical Surroundings Phonomena, Sutherland PhonoBlock Refined.

Blue Horizon Ideas ProFono, Moon by Simaudio 810LP, Sutherland Insight, not auditioned in too long a time.

Phono Accessories & Record Cleaners

AcousTech The Big Record Brush: $36.95 ★
This large-handled brush has soft bristles of both natural hairs and conductive synthetic fibers, and makes dusting LPs nearly foolproof. The 5.5"-wide bristle area easily spans the width of any LP's grooved area. Version with ground wire ($52.99) does "a pretty effective job of dissipating static electricity," Mikey said. (Vol.31 No.9)

Acoustical Systems Arche 5D headshell: $695
Another sign of the analog revival: perfectionist-quality cartridge headshells, once common—remember the Orsonics shell of the 1980s?—are repopulating the Earth, a key example being the German-made Acoustical Systems Arché. Precision-machined from aluminum and steel and available in various finishes, the Arché offers adjustable vertical tracking angle and azimuth, and taken together, its two adjustments for overhang—one at the headshell plug, the other by means of the Arché's movable platform-within-a-platform—offer a wider range of adjustment than most other headshells. AD also noted that the slightly heavier-than-average Arché is a better match for the low-compliance cartridges he favors. Expensive, but nonetheless highly recommendable. (Vol.41 No.5 WWW)

Acoustical Systems SMARTractor: $650 ★

Aesthetix MC Demagnetizer: $199 ★

Allnic Audio SpeedNic: $399

Audio Additives digital stylus-force gauge: $49.99

Audio Intelligent record-cleaning fluids ★

Audiodesksysteme Gläss Vinyl Cleaner Pro: $4499
The fully automatic Vinyl Cleaner uses ultrasound-induced cavitation to clean records, much as an ultrasonic jewelry cleaner does for jewels. The entire cleaning and drying process is relatively quiet and takes about six minutes. A 20ml bottle of Audiodesksysteme's alcohol-free, biodegradable concentrate ($19.95) will clean at least 50 LPs, and the microfiber cleaning barrels ($99.95/four) are good for 500 to 1000 cleaning cycles. "The Audiodesksysteme was the most effective, easy-to-use cleaning machine I've tried," said MF, who bought the review sample. FK was stunned: The Vinyl Cleaner not only thoroughly cleaned his LPs, it significantly improved their sound, revealing nuances long hidden in the grooves. "If your stereo system cost tens of thousands of dollars and you play a lot of vinyl, you need to check this thing out," he said. AD said, "If there exists a more effective, easy, reliable, and utterly transformative way of cleaning LPs, I have yet to hear it. . . . [The] Vinyl Cleaner's build quality, like its effectiveness, is beyond reproach." He then bought his review sample. In 2015, Audiodesksysteme's US distributor, Ultra Systems, introduced two accessories: the A-Ring adapters allow 7" and 10" records to be washed in the Vinyl Cleaner ($125 for the two-Ring set). AD's verdict: "The A-Rings are not a perfect solution, but they did the job effectively and without too much fuss." In 2016, the Vinyl Cleaner was replaced by the Vinyl Cleaner Pro, which offers an extra drying cycle, and boasts an upgraded fluid pump and other refinements—and a reduction in price, from $4450 to $4199. (Vol.35 No.6, Vol.36 No.9, Vol.38 No.3, Vol.39 No.1, Vol.40 No.4 WWW)

Clearaudio Outer Limit Turntable Ring: $1350 ★

DB Systems DBP-10 protractor: $49 ★

DB Systems DBP-6MC resistive loading kit: $49 ★



Keith Monks DiscOvery One Redux: $2495 $$$

Kerry Audio Design F2 Titanium tonearm counterweight: $129 ★

LAST Power Cleaner for LPs: $49/¾-oz bottle, with applicators ★


LAST STYLAST Stylus Treatment: $40/¼-oz bottle ★

Little Fwend tonearm lifter: $249
From Norway comes the Little Fwend, an automatic tonearm lifter in the tradition of the fondly remembered Audio-Technica AT-6006 Safety Raiser: a damped, spring-loaded cueing platform that lies in wait for a tonearm to pass overhead and trip its trigger—an event timed to occur when the stylus is done playing an LP side and has entered the lead-out area. AD described the Little Fwend as "one of the most well-conceived, well-packaged, well-made audio accessories I've encountered." (But AD erred in saying that the Little Fwend is distributed in the US by Music Direct: the company is actually MoFi Distribution.) Recently upgraded with a Scotch Restickable Dot mount as a nonresidue alternative for people concerned about the finish of their turntable plinths (seems you can't spell analog without anal). (Vol.40 No.2 WWW)

Lyra SPT: $60/1.5ml bottle ★

Merrill G.E.M. Dandy Hydraulic Record Cleaner: $169 ★

Milty Zerostat 3: $100 ★

Mobile Fidelity Geo-Disc cartridge alignment tool: $49.99

Musical Surroundings Fozgometer: $300

Onzow Zero Dust stylus cleaner: $39.99 ★

ORB phono accessories: $350–$480 ★

Rega R808 2mm spacer: $39

Rek-O-Kut Stylus Force Gauge: $21 ★

Silente idler wheel mod for Garrard 301 turntable: $105 plus shipping $$$
For owners of classic Garrard 301 and 401 turntables, AudioSilente's newly designed and manufactured idler wheel is a well-advised and perhaps even mandatory purchase. Reportedly the result of a yearlong development effort that included a long study of the correct density of rubber required for the application, the AudioSilente is an aluminum-alloy wheel to which is bonded a rubber ring of square cross section—this in contrast to the original Garrard idler, whose smaller metal hub is more or less encased within a larger rubber wheel. A slender steel rod is press-fitted through the center of the idler to form the upper and lower axles, with rounded tips and polished surfaces. The contact area of the AudioSilente idler is 4.6mm thick—precisely the same as in the original idler. AD tried the AudioSilente idler on his own 301 and discovered slight improvements, both audible and measurable, compared to his good-condition original idler. All in all, as either an upgrade or a replacement for a worn or damaged original, the distinctly affordable AudioSilente idler wheel is an excellent value, and highly recommended. (Vol.41 No.7 WWW)

Soundsmith EZ-Mount screws: $39.95 ★

Spin Clean Record Washing System: $79.99 $$$ ★

Synergistic Research PHT: $199/pair
What's smaller than the head of an M2.5 socket-head bolt, comes in four different colors, and is purported to make any phono cartridge sound better? The Synergistic Research PHT—short for PHono Transducer, and pronounced by its manufacturer as pot. This tiny tweak, the innards of which are a trade secret, is meant to be applied to an exposed portion of the top of an installed phono cartridge or, where that's not feasible, to the top surface of the headshell. All manner of sonic enhancements are claimed, and indeed, RD came away from his PHT experience saying that "soundstages were deeper and wider, aural images more precise, dynamics more startling." Different colors of PHT are said by Synergistic to represent different "strains" (geddit?); RD liked the black one best. His conclusion: "$199/pair for the PHTs, with money-back guarantee, is well worth it." (Vol.38 Nos. 2 & 12, Vol.39 No.10 WWW)

Vinyl Flat LP Flattener: $139.95 shipped CONUS

VPI HW-17 record-cleaning machine: $1800 ★
VPI HW-16.5 record-cleaning machine: $700 ★



VPI VTA adjuster for Rega tonearm: $150 ★

Woodsong Audio Eddy-Brake Disc: $200

Woodsong Audio plinth for the Garrard 301: $1900+

Sutherland Timeline no longer available.

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